The Hoopoe (IPA: [?hu?pu?]) Upupa epops is a colourful bird that is found across Afro-Eurasia, notable for its distinctive 'crown' of feathers.

The Hoopoe is classfied as a near passerine bird, a group that also includes kingfishers, bee-eaters, and rollers. In the Sibley-Ahlquist taxonomy, the Hoopoe is separated from the Coraciiformes as a separate order, the Upupiformes. It is the only extant member of its family, although what are now considered subspecies, such as the resident African form U. e. africana, were formerly sometimes given specific status. The Giant Hoopoe, U. antaios, lived on the island of St Helena but became extinct in the sixteenth century.

The Hoopoe is widespread in Europe, Asia and North Africa, as well as Sub-Saharan Africa and Madagascar. It migrates from all but the southernmost part of its range to the tropics in winter.

Description

The Hoopoes prefers open cultivated ground with short grass or bare patches, and spends much time on the ground hunting insects and worms. It is 25"?29 cm long, with a 44"?48 cm wingspan. This black, white and pink bird is quite unmistakable, especially in its erratic flight, which is like that of a giant butterfly. The song is a trisyllabic "oop-oop-oop", which gives rise to its English and scientific names.

The nest is in a hole in a tree or wall. Like those of its relatives, the kingfishers, the nest tends to contain copious amounts of faeces and smell very foul as a protection against predators.

Hoopoes in popular culture

In the ancient Greek legend of Philomel, the evil king Tereus is transformed into a hoopoe at the end of the story.

In Valencian culture, the bird is known as the Palput, and is associated with the penis.

The Long-Billed Hoopoe was chosen as the national bird of the State of Israel in May 2008 in conjunction with the country's 60th anniversary, following a national survey of 155,000 citizens, overcoming the Pycnonotus xanthopygos (White spectacled Bulbul).

Gallery

In France (Toulouse)

In France (Toulouse)

Young in France (Toulouse)

Preening

India.

At Hodal in Faridabad District of Haryana, India.

At Hodal in Faridabad District of Haryana, India.

At Hodal in Faridabad District of Haryana, India.

At Hodal in Faridabad District of Haryana, India.

In Kolkata, West Bengal, India.

In Kolkata, West Bengal, India.

on a tree in Kolkata, West Bengal, India.

at Jayanti in Buxa Tiger Reserve in Jalpaiguri district of West Bengal, India.